Music Awards of Staffordshire & Cheshire 2026

Warning: This show may contain future headliners! Phillip Stoneman introduces the best new music from our area, including:

• Thousands of nominations, hundreds of submissions, 54 nominees and ten winners from the grand return of the Music Awards of Staffordshire & Cheshire. We're at Newcastle's New Vic Theatre taking you behind the scenes from a glorious celebration of local music.

• A cornerstone of the community and the ultimate avenue where acts hone their craft: We check in on Independent Venue Week in Kidderminster, Worcester and Hereford, proving that you don't have to pay top dollar for stadium shows alone, to top up your live music fix.

• In our Musicians' Masterclass: Albrighton's Nieve Ella shares tips on beating the pre-performance nerves in a career that's taken her to the country's biggest festivals on our BBC Introducing stages, from Reading & Leeds to Glastonbury and beyond.

• He's the most famous musician you've possibly never heard of, the beating heart behind-the-scenes of TV's biggest shows. From The Chase to The Weakest Link, Dancing on Ice and beyond - he's scored the soundtrack to them all - and returns once again in Michael McIntyre's 'bonkers' Big Show.

• In the Music News: He's been in Rome meeting the Pope and running sub three-hour marathons in Berlin and New York: Redditch-born, Holmes Chapel-raised Harry Styles has released his first new single in three years, as well as tickets for his mammoth new tour.

• She met Paul McCartney whilst studying and has been winning fans all over the country with her award-winning upbeat, jazz-infused pop. We're big fans, as are our friends at BBC 6 Music: Let us introduce you to the full band sound of Telford's Anna Silvers.

Upload your tracks now: bbc.co.uk/introducing